


Inky Roses

by Birdgirl90



Series: Marvel Reader Inserts [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Jane and Loki get along pretty good as they work together, Reader and Thor are bffs, This is a Loki/Reader fic, With a little of Jane/Thor, explicit for later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-07-14 19:37:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16047176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Birdgirl90/pseuds/Birdgirl90
Summary: You own a local flower shop, working with your best friend Thor; you have a comfortable routine going, nothing too exciting.  What will happen when a new shop opens up across the street?  Tattoo/Flower Shop AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Readers!  
> This is a fic I'm working on while I'm out with writers block on Flying High.  
> I love this kind of AU and I've been wanting to write one for a while, so I decided it was time. I plan on updating regularly, and I promise I'm still working on Flying High!  
> In this fic, you're best friends with Thor and the two of you work in a flower shop. A new business opens up across from you - how will this affect your lives? Let's find out!  
> Enjoy!  
> ~Birdie

You stare across the street at the building across from yours.  The once vacant shop front now reads “Raven King Tattoos” in classic tattoo shop writing - you know the ones, the typical lettering style that most people assume with tattoos.  It’s a small town you live in, and this is the first time a shop like this has opened; you’re a little nervous about it. Your own floral shop (where you currently stand by the display window, playing with autumn colored wildflowers) has been in the family for generations and has always been here on the boulevard.  Your parents decided to retire early, leaving you in charge of it. You think you’re okay with it, having grown up in here amidst the roses and tulips, but only time will tell you suppose.

The lights across the street flick on.

“How long do you think they’re going to last?” you ask your best friend and employee Thor.  “That shop front is like the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher position. You know, a new one every year.”

Thor - tall, blonde, built like a rock - joins you at the window, a glass vase of blue roses in his hands.  He makes a thoughtful face before his blue eyes meet yours.

“It is like that, isn’t it,” he muses.  “Does that make us Herbology?”

You laugh and shake your head.  “Good thing I’m a Hufflepuff I guess.”

He laughs with you, a loud laugh that matches his loud tone.  

Thor was on the high school football team when you met.  He asked you out after meeting you in science class and at first you had denied his offer - why would the star of the team be interested in you, the chubby book club girl no one ever asked out - but eventually you relented.   You went out on a date once, and both of you decided that you were better suited for friendship; it felt more natural. It quickly blossomed - ha, you think, blossomed - until the two of you were hanging out all the time. He got into a good school on a football scholarship and everything was good, until he got tackled wrong at the homecoming game senior year and messed his ankle up beyond repair.  

Thor lost his scholarship because he was unable to play anymore, and so he decided to not go to college.  College had never been in your plans due to the family business, so you hired him on (he’s surprisingly good at arrangements and all the customers love him) and the rest is history.  Now, at age 24, the two of you share an apartment together, still best friends. He still looks as good as ever, and you grew into yourself a bit between now and then, though the chubby belly will probably never go away.

“I’ve actually never seen a tattoo store before,” you admit as you arrange the wildflowers in the window.  It’s early October so you’re trying to make the window look festive for Halloween. Thor promised to pick up a pumpkin in a few days so you could add it in.  And with October also comes the preorders and preparing for poinsettias for winter. You’ve already got twelve people down for orders. It never ceases to amaze you how much people love the red flowers.  You’ve never cared for them yourself, but they are traditional you suppose.

“They’re  very clean,” Thor tells you, and you raise an eyebrow.  He shrugs. “I went in one when I was with Amber and she ‘needed’ a new tattoo.”

Ah yes, Amber, Thor’s previous girlfriend.  You had never cared for her much, the way she went around like she was queen of the goddamn world.  She was snobbish and nothing Thor did was up to her standards. You were secretly thankful it only lasted about six months and that Thor realized he could do better.  Thor bounced from girl to girl all through high school but now it’s slowed down some. You think he’s grown out of it.

“Ah,” you say.  You start to move to the back of the store to grab some of the wheat stalks you have to add to the display.  Thor puts his vase of roses in the fridge case. The two of you work companionably for a while, you finishing the window display and Thor arranging a few orders for the afternoon.  It’s comfortable and familiar.

“What do you think, big guy?” you ask Thor as you step back to admire the window.

“It looks good from the inside, Y/N,” he tells you with a grin.  “We should look from the outside.”

“Great idea.”

You zip up your hoodie and Thor does the same before opening the door and heading into the crisp autumn air.  You can see your breath and you laugh. You love this time of year. The pumpkins and the hayrides and just everything about it makes you feel alive.  The two of you step into the road for a moment. It’s hardly ever busy around here and the street is quiet for now. You tilt your head. The display looks good, bursting with autumn colors.  The shop name is still prominent (“Pocket Full of Daisies” - you’ve always hated that name, but three generations, now four counting you, and it feels like it can’t be changed now, as much as you wish it could), but fairy lights twinkle around the edges of the window now too, giving it a warm and welcoming glow.

“I need to put the lights around the door,” you muse and Thor claps you on the back.

“I’ll go get them,” he tells you and heads inside.

While you’re waiting for him to come back out with them, you can’t help but turn and watch the shop behind you.  There’s movement in the shop and as you watch, the blinds open and reveal a tall man with shoulder length black hair and a long sleeved black tee.  He’s looking over his shoulder and laughing with someone before he turns to you, rich emerald eyes locking onto yours; he smirks. You quickly look back to your window display, a flush of embarrassment on your face at being caught.  Moments later, Thor arrives, holding out a strand of fairy lights.

“Why are so you flustered?” he asks while he helps you decorate the front door frame.

“Um,” you start, but are quickly cut off by a large shipping truck coming down the road.  

Both of you watch as it stops in front of the tattoo shop.  A petite woman comes out and greets the driver of the truck.  She’s about your age, you think, with long brunette hair and brown eyes; her ears have gauges in them and she’s got tattoos along her bare arms.  She waves at you both with a friendly smile. You hesitatingly wave back, while Thor beams at her.

“Hello neighbors!” she yells across the street at you and you bite back a laugh at how outgoing she is.  It shouldn’t really be a surprise that she walks across the street to you, a smile still on her face.

“I’m Jane,” she says without any prompting.  She turns to look over her shoulder. The tall man you saw earlier is outside now, taking boxes from the truck inside the building.  He catches your eye again and inclines his head at you as he walks into the shop. “That’s Loki. We’re your new neighbors!”

“I’m Y/N,” you tell her, holding out your hand which she enthusiastically takes.  “I’m the owner here.”

“And I’m Thor,” Thor says, taking her hand and placing a kiss on her knuckles.  You roll your eyes at him; he’s already slipping into flirt mode. “I work here with Y/N.”

You can’t stop wondering at how beautiful these people are.  Jane is like a tattooed fireball fairy; she’s also sweet and friendly?  And Loki...even just a few glances tell you he’s the bad boy who gets all the girls (and maybe guys).  You don’t usually get self conscious about how you look but damn if you aren’t starting to while standing with Jane.  You’re watching as Loki unloads more boxes, flashing a quick smile at the truck driver that makes your pulse increase a bit, and you don’t realize you’ve zoned out part of the conversation.

“Y/N?” Thor asks, bringing you out of your head.

“Hmm?” you mumble, rejoin the conversation.  

“I was just telling Jane how we’ve been friends since high school.”

“Ah,” you say, fidgeting with your hoodie zipper.  “Thor and I go way back. We actually share a place on the east end of town; it’s just more economical to live with someone than to try to find a place on your own, you know?”

Jane nods and smiles.

“That’s what Loki and I do, as well.  We just kind of crash together and eat ramen noodles.”

“Jane!” a voice calls from across the street.  It’s low and velvety and has a distinct British accent.  You follow it back to Loki, who’s leaning on the side of the brick building across the street.  “If you’re done, I could really use some help setting up.”

Jane giggles and grins at you.

“That’s my cue.  If you guys are interested, maybe we could all go get a beer sometime?”

You open your mouth to say something but Thor cuts you off.

“That would be wonderful,” he tells Jane, holding her hand again for a brief moment.  “Feel free to stop by any time.”

You could swear a faint dusty rose covers Jane’s cheeks as she thanks him and heads back across the street.

The two of you walk inside.

“She’s cute,” you comment with a smirk at Thor.  “Bright and fun and a little dangerous…”

Thor bumps you on the shoulder as you make your way around the back of the counter.

“I would like to get to know her better, I think,” he says and you shake your head with a grin.  “But how about Loki?”

“Uh, no,” you say with another head shake, your grin gone, knowing Thor has been trying to set you up for dates for ages now.  “One, I don’t know him -

“Well, go talk to him!” Thor interjects.  You ignore him.

“And he’s like a bad boy.  Nothing good comes out of dating guys like that - I’ve seen the television shows.  Besides, he’s out of my league anyway.”

“You never know,” Thor says with a smile.  “Maybe you’ll be surprised.”

You just sigh and head to the back room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!  
> Here is chapter 2 of Inky Roses.  
> I rather like how this chapter turned out and I hope you do too!  
> Enjoy!  
> ~Birdie

The next day is your day off, something you’re very thankful for.  Even owners need a break. The thought of being an owner still sounds foreign to you if you’re being completely honest with yourself.  There’s so much you have to do now - balances and ordering and making sure the lease is paid for monthly. Granted, a lot of this you’ve done before.  Your parents had you in the shop your whole life. You remember getting out of school as a kid and your parents having you help with taking orders. Some of the regulars still comment about it, how cute you were and how much they still love having you around.

Still.  Doing it all is a lot of work and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t a little stressed.  You’ve only been owner for a month and it’s driving you nuts. Even as much as you love it, love the flowers, love the work, you can’t help but wonder sometimes about what else is out there.  You turn and look at the clock on your bedside table. It’s almost 10am; Thor must have slipped out for work without you even noticing. You trust him to handle the shop.

So, what to do with yourself.

You reluctantly roll out of bed, exhausted.  You and Thor had spent the night watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy - not all in one sitting, mind you, but you made it through the first one and part way through the second one.  Needless to say, it was enough to make you tired. You get dressed and head into the small living room that doubles as a dining room; it still smells like burnt popcorn in here. When is Thor ever going to learn that you can’t trust the popcorn setting on the microwave?  You shake your head and grab your car keys, deciding you want breakfast and can splurge for once.

Your car is, without a doubt, a piece of shit.  It’s a white honda, and you assume that at some point it was nice looking.  Now though, the front bumper is held on by ducktape and there’s a dent in the side door from when some jerk hit you in a parking lot.  Guy had left before you could swap information; it had been a sucky day. You sigh and climb in, praying it starts on the first try. Three tries later, your car finally comes to life and you head to your local Denny’s.

Denny’s is one of those liminal spaces, you decided a long time ago.  There’s just something about it that just smells like a place where anything can happen, especially at night.  The coffee is always slightly greasy and the food decent even if a little dry sometimes, the lighting always a little off - some of the lights work, some of them don’t, and it seems like when they get them repaired, the other set of lights goes out.  Despite not being the greatest place, you love it nonetheless.

The people are always interesting too.  One time you saw a petite woman with flaming hair and you could have sworn she was a fairy based on how she moved.  Another time, there was an old couple who came in, ordered dessert, and held hands through the entire time, making your heart melt a little.  And the wait staff here...you and Thor have come here enough times for coffee and pie after work that you know all of them, from Jenny who’s trying to pay for school (she wants to study psychology) to Patrick who just moved in with his boyfriend.  They’re all great, and if it’s not the greasy coffee that keeps you coming back, then it’s them.

You walk in and take a deep breath, the scent of pancakes and coffee and french fries hitting you all at once.  Your stomach growls in response.

“Hey Y/N!” Jenny greets you at the hostess station, blond hair in a messy bun.  “How are you? Regular table, I assume?”

“I’m doing pretty great, it’s my day off,” you tell her with a smile.  “And yes please, if it’s still available.”

She guides you over to your favorite table, a booth by the window where you can gaze out and daydream.  You gladly take the menu from her. You order a coffee and watch as a young couple outside walks hand and hand down the sidewalk to the street corner.  A part of you twinges with wistfulness. You keep telling yourself that you don’t need someone in your life like that, that work keeps you on your toes, and besides, all the random dates Thor’s tried to set you up on over the years failed.  Maybe you just aren’t compatable with anyone. And yet...there’s a part of you that wants it. You swallow it down and focus on the menu.

“How have you been, Jenny?” you ask as she comes back with your coffee and a glass of water.  “Haven’t seen you around as much.”

“I just got into the school I really wanted to go to,” she tells you excitedly.  “And! They gave me a full scholarship.”

“That’s fantastic!” you congradulate her.  She beams at you.

The rest of the meal passes at a comfortable pace.  You nurse your cup of coffee for a while and find your thoughts wandering to the previous day and the new neighbors you have across the street.  A tattoo parlour. What kind of people will that bring to the area? How is this going to affect your business? So far the shop is doing well, but what if this changes things?  Or it could be completely okay, you think to yourself. After all, that woman - Jane, right? - was incredibly friendly. So maybe it won’t be so bad.

Speaking of which, your attention gets brought to the front as Jenny sits two people at a table not too far from yours.  And what do you know, it’s Jane and Loki. They don’t notice you at first, so you take your time and watch them out of the corner of your eye.  Jane is definitely high on life, you decide, watching her animatedly talk to Loki, her brown hair up in a ponytail and her lips covered in a bright purple.  Loki is more reserved,but every once in a while he smiles a smile that makes your heart give a tug, the wistfullness from earlier washing over you. You can’t help noticing how attractive he is, dark hair and straight nose, wearing a leather jacket and jeans.

No, you tell yourself, looking away to stare into your coffee.  You start making a list of reasons why you can’t get involved with him.  One, he doesn’t seem very interested in a lot of things, reserved and quiet.  The memory of the mischief in his eyes as he caught you staring yesterday pops into your mind.  You push it away. Two, you’re busy, remember? But he probably is too...and yet you’re both at Denny’s...Three, who wants to date a girl who has a tummy and thighs?  High school had taught you that. Plus he is waayy out of your league. There’s no way. Four-

“Hi Y/N!”

Jane stands next to you, a bright smile on her face.  The purple suits her, you decide as you look into her brown eyes, lined in black.  You can’t help but smile back, her mood contagious.

“Hey yourself,” you tell her.  You motion to the seat across from you.  “Do you want to sit?”

She slides in across from you.  You’re painfully aware of Loki watching the two of you, his arm slung casually across the back of his seat.  You swallow hard.

“What are you doing here?  Doesn’t your shop open early on Tuesdays?”  Jane asks, settling down some, toning down from a completely whirlwind to just a friendly individual.  She looks over at Loki and sticks your tongue out. “He was too chicken to come over and say hi.”

Loki must have heard because he rolls his eyes.  You turn your attention back to Jane.

“Thor’s running the shop today,” you tell her with a smile.  “It’s my day off, so I’m just trying to make the most of it. What about you?”

“Loki’s been whining about there not being a Waffle House here, so we decided to try the next best thing,” Jane explains.  You can’t help but notice that she talks with her hands. It makes you laugh to yourself a bit, not because it’s funny but because it reminds you of your mother - always living life to the fullest with as much enthusiasm as she could possibly have.

“The pancakes are pretty good,” you suggest with a smile.  “And Jenny is super sweet, she won’t steer you wrong.”

You look over at Loki; he’s running his eyes over you as if you’re a puzzle he wants to solve.  It makes you a little nervous. His green eyes lock onto yours and you offer a tentative wave, which turns out to basically be you holding your hand up then lowering it.  He gives you a smirk like he did yesterday. You turn back to Jane.

“I gotta head back to my table so I can order some food, but it was great to see you again,” Jane says with another beaming smile.  “Tell Thor I say hi!”

You watch her walk away, and decide that maybe it’s time to go home.  Between Loki still staring at you - serious, guy? - and the fact that your coffee is cold, you get up to leave.  You give Jenny a parting wave as you head out the door into the chilly weather. Thankfully your car starts on the first go.  

You find yourself thinking of green eyes the entire way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, readers, thanks for hanging out and enjoying the story!  
> Comments and kudos are always welcome, and if anyone wants to chat about the story, message me - I'm always down to have some fun chats!  
> See you at the next chapter!  
> ~Birdie


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Readers!  
> I hope you're ready for some Thor and Reader hanging out time! Honestly, I love them being best buds, it makes me so ridiculously happy. Platonic relationships like that are the best.  
> Enjoy!  
> ~Birdie

“Guess who I saw today.”

Thor looks at you with an eyebrow up as you shove a bowl of Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese at him.  It was either this or Top Ramen for dinner, and frankly, you’re kind of sick of ramen. Neither of you are great cooks, so you tend to make dinners simple - either order out or make something super basic, like mac n cheese.  Hot dogs are another one you go to as a staple; just stick them in the microwave and let them do their thing. Tonight though, it’s comfort food.

You’ve spent the day thinking of the two tattoo artists you ran into.  Jane seems friendly enough, and you know Thor is crushing already. Maybe you should push him to ask her out.  She might be good for him. Though, if she hurts him, you will personally go over to the tattoo shop and stab her eyes out with a spoon.  But she doesn’t seem like that kind of person so far. That’s only meeting her twice though. Maybe you won’t encourage Thor. Besides, knowing him, he’ll do what he wants anyway.

But the one you can’t shake out of your head is Loki.  Loki with his devilish smirk. Loki with his ‘too cool for you’ demeanor.  The way he wore his jeans, the way his arm dangled, revealing the hint of colors and lines along his wrist moving up, the way his long fingers looked - tapered and how they would feel against - you shot that train of thought down immediately.  You think about your past boyfriend, the only one you’ve ever had, and how disappointing dating had been. You think about all the random dates Thor set you up with after he had broken up with you (and you almost felt guilty at the relief of it) and how they never seemed to fit; they were nice, sure, but not for you.  You decided instead that you were content alone - lies, you know deep down - and had no time for dating.

And a handsome dangerous man with leather and ink and emerald eyes you could drown in will not be the end of you.

“Who?” Thor asks, pulling you back into reality.  You give him a sly grin.

“Jane and Loki from across the street.  Jane said to tell you hi.”

“I wish I was there to say hi to her as well,” Thor muses as he settles next to you on the worn sofa you had found on sale at goodwill when you first moved in together.

The whole apartment itself is kind of shabby, most of the furniture bought from stores like goodwill and Walmart.  The paint on the walls is a bland beige color and the appliances are all out of date. Outside you can almost always hear a lot of talking and partying, the occasional sirens as someone gets arrested for drugs or underage drinking.  But the rent is cheap and it’s a place to live for now. Some nights, you stay up watching TV and the home improvement shows until you fall asleep, dreaming of living somewhere nicer. 

“You know,” you muse aloud, a fork full of cheesy noodly goodness halfway to your mouth, “you could go over to their shop and talk to her.”

Thor swallows what’s in his mouth and contemplates this.

“I could…” he starts.  He gives you a look. “But you have to come with me.  Maybe you could chat with Loki, get to know what they do.”

You just stare at him.

“It could be good for you at least,” Thor says as he gets up to take his bowl to the sink.  “Tattoo parlours aren’t scary. They’re actually kind of cool.”

“I dunno Thor, I mean, look at me,” you tell him, motioning to your outfit - a blue jeans and pink high tops and a cute tee shirt that says ‘Lipstick and Lattes’ on it.  “I don’t think I’m quite the type to just waltz into a shop and be like ‘hey, handsome man who wears leather and black, lets chat it up’.”

“Ah ha!” Thor declares, pointing a finger at you.  “I knew you liked him.”

You flush a little.

“Shut up, Thor.  I don’t even know the man,” you reply, getting up from the couch and bumping his side purposefully on the way to the small kitchen.  “You can’t like someone if you don’t know them. Attractive, yes. But like? No.”

_ And there is no way he finds me attractive.  There’s a snowball's chance in hell that he would even ask me out. _

“Hmm,” is all Thor says as he makes his way into the living room and turns on the TV.  “What do you want to watch?”

“The usual,” you tell him, thankful for the change in topic.  “Unless it’s a rerun. If it is, turn on the station.”

 

Later that night, you dream of deep green eyes and a wicked smirk.

 

*************************************

“You never did tell me if you would go over to the shop with me,” Thor says a few days later as you’re taking inventory.  

“Nope, I didn’t,” you reply absentmindedly.  “I kind of thought it was an implied no.”

“Well, I hope it doesn’t have anything to do with Loki, because it appears he’s walking across the street towards us.”

You look up so fast you nearly give yourself whiplash.  Sure enough, there he is, making his way to your store. You duck further in the back, embarrassed by your suddenly rise in heart beat.  Thor laughs at you.

“You take it,” you say quickly.  “I uh, I need to finish here.”

“Are you sure you don’t want the pleasure of speaking to him?” Thor teases.  You shake your head adamantly. He grins at you. “Alright, I’ll take it.”

The door chimes and Thor walks out to greet Loki.  You peer cautiously around the door jam, just enough to see what’s going on.  Loki appears to be looking at all the arrangements, his hands behind his back.  He’s wearing a dark green tee today, one that hugs his muscles. For a moment you wonder what his firm chest would feel underneath your fingers.  You shut that idea down before anything more can come of it. That’s when you notice his tattoos along his arm. Flowers blossom in violets and greens and blues and golds along his wrist to his elbow on his right arm.  His left arm shows a few feathers in violet blue black and a small raven tattooed inside his wrist. They are all beautifully done an you can’t help but stare at them for a moment.

“Hey Loki,” Thor greets.  “Can I help you with anything today?”

Loki gives Thor a smile; it could almost be called charming.

“I’m actually looking for something for my mother,” he tells Thor in that velvet smooth voice of his.  You’ve only heard it twice now, once when they moved in across the way and he was yelling for Jane, and now, but you’re pretty sure the man could read a phone book and it would be sexy.  “It’s her birthday today,” he continues. “I’d like to do something nice for her. Something with violets if you can do that.”

The two of them go over the book you have of arrangements you can do.  You keep watching for a little bit longer when the door chimes. Ms. Potts walks in - she’s a regular who comes by weekly to pick up fresh flowers for her work.  She says that keeping the colorful blooms on her desk is one of the things that makes her job more enjoyable. She smiles at Thor.

“Y/N,” Thor calls.  “I need a little help up front.”

You take a deep breath and walk out of backroom.  You pass Loki on your way to greet Pepper as she insists on being called, and he gives you a grin.  You feel your heartbeat pick up and offer a shy smile before you break away from those rich green eyes.  You walk over to Pepper, aware of the blush on your face.

“What can I help you with today?” you ask as she gives you a quick hug.

“Well…”

****************************

An hour later and you and Thor are working on the arrangements.  Pepper’s is simple, a quick wildflower arrangement in a beautiful blue tinted glass vase.  You hum happily to yourself as you work, content to play with the flowers all day. That is, until green eyes invade your thoughts.  That grin…

“Y/N?” Thor’s voice calls.  You look up and he has a knowing look on his face.  “Loki’s flowers are done. I was wondering if you could deliver them to him?”

“What?”

“Yeah, just go over and take them to him,” Thor says. 

“And take away the chance for you to see your Jane?” you ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Jane and I talk when we’re both on lunch breaks,” Thor says, not quite meeting your eyes.  “We have nice conversation. But that’s not the point. The point is that you need to deliver these.”

“Wait wait wait,” you say, hands on your hips and an eyebrow raised.  “You’ve been having lunch with Jane? Is that why you’ve been asking for specific times this week to go to lunch?”

Thor shrugs, a faint flush on his face.

“Just take the flowers.”

“Alright, but this conversation isn’t over.”

And with that, you grab the violet arrangement and head across the street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading everyone!  
> I am going to try to update maybe every two weeks with this story. I still need to work on my other fic (Flying High) but my mojo for that one is kinda not there. But never fear, there will be more of both!  
> See you at the next chapter!  
> ~Birdie


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all!  
> Sorry this is later than I expected it to be!  
> I hope you enjoy it!  
> ~Birdie

Taking a deep breath, you open the door to Raven King Tattoos.  It’s nothing like you expected, though to be honest, you had no idea what your expectations were.  It’s well lit with a grey tiled floor. Along the top of the walls are strands of fairy lights. The walls themselves are painted a base of violet, but it’s what’s on top of the violet that catches your attention.  The walls are decorated in different designs and patterns straight on the paint; there are beautiful watercolor pieces dictating the ocean and horses and birds, pieces of steampunk era women and contraptions. 

The store has two separate tables, separated by a divider.  The first bed is open, with the walls decorated with bright colors, the name Jane spelled out in beautiful handwriting above the mirror of the station.  In the back you hear someone talking in muffled voices, the buzz of a tattoo gun, and the occasional low velvet laugh.

Jane waves to you as she sits at the front desk, her feet on the desk while she reclines and spins a bit in her chair.  She looks radiant today (but seriously, when does she ever not?), with dark eyeshadow and eyeliner and Barbie pink glittery lipstick, a baseball cap on backwards over her long brown hair.  She blows a bubble out of the gum she’s chewing, and it almost - almost - matches her lipstick. She’s on the phone.

“Uh huh,” she says in the phone, rolling her eyes at you then tilting her head to indicate she’s rolling her eyes about whoever is on the phone.  “I understand. His schedule is pretty full for the next two weeks, so if you want to get in with him, you’ll need to make an appointment...no, like I said, he’s booked out...have a good day.”

Jane lets out a sigh as she looks at you.

“Some people.  Loki is a very popular artist and some of his clients wanted to move with us,” she explains and you nod.  “But every once in a while, you get a client who doesn’t understand that we’re picking up more customers and they’ll need to make an appointment to see him.”

“Ahhh,” you say.  You hold out the vase of violets.  “I actually, um, brought these for Loki, speaking of.  He ordered them today for his mom.”

Jane looks thoughtful, and you could swear a little sadness almost creeps into her expression.  She takes the flowers from you with a small smile.

“He gets violets every year for her birthday,” Jane says softly.  “These are beautiful.”

You don’t have a chance to really think about why she reacted the way she did, but the air feels different now between you.  Not bad, but different. You swallow then try to diffuse the situation.

“So who did all the art?”

Jane beams at you.

“Loki and I did,” she says proudly.  “This side of the room - “ she points to the area closest to the door where her stuff is all set up and where the steampunk art and traditional art is, with glimpses of weird creatures (you recognize a Cthulhu now that you’re looking closer) -”is all me.  That side is all Loki.”

Loki’s side you realize is all the watercolors and traditional art and black and grey animals.  The bright flowers adorn the middle of the back wall, indicating to you that they must both share a love of them.  You can’t take your eyes off how beautiful everything looks in here. The radio softly plays what you recognize as Hozier, and you hum a little.

“I have to admit, Jane, I’ve never seen the inside of a tattoo place before,” you say, turning back to her.  She’s grinning at you.

“Well now you have,” Jane laughs.  “If you want, you can walk around on the other side of that divider and watch  Loki work for a minute. I know he won’t mind.”

Curiosity gets the better of you, and you peek your head around the corner.  Loki wears black gloves and is carefully holding what you assume is the tattoo gun to a young man’s arm.  Shades of purple color the skin and you can’t help but be mesmerized. You glance around his work area. His name is written in elegant script above his table, the L flowing gracefully into the rest of the letters.  Regal almost. The young man looks up.

“You’ve got a visitor, Lokes.  Pretty one at that.”

The man winks at you and you roll your eyes.  Good lord.

Loki looks up and pauses the needle, and gives you a smirk.  He leans back in his chair a bit. 

“Hey Petals, I was wondering when you would come over,” Loki tells you in that velvety voice of his.  His green eyes give you a once over; suddenly you feel very self conscious. A thought hits you - you’ve never given him your name.  That must be why he called you petals.

“Um, I know we haven’t officially met, I’m - “

“I know your name,” he tells you, casual and laid back with humor in his eyes.  “And it’s a lovely name. Petals is cute though, don’t you think? You’re cute and you work at a flower shop.  Petals.”

You feel heat rise in your face and your pulse pick up.  Something flutters in you and you quickly shove it down. You laugh a little nervously.  Petals...you kind of like it. No one outside of Thor has ever given you any sort of nickname before.  It’s a strange feeling.

_ Don’t forget he called you cute… _ your brain decides to remind you.  You internally shake your head. It must be some sort of teasing.

“Ah, okay?  I guess?”

Loki laughs, short and melodic.  He leans forward and turns his gun back on.  He gives you a crooked half smile, eyebrow raised and that humor again glittering in his eyes.  

“I have to go back to work, unfortunately,” he tells you, and you sense dismissal.  “But I’ll see you around, Petals.”

You smile back at him, shyly, and tell him a quiet goodbye.  Jane is back on the phone, laughing this time very loudly, and she waves as you walk outside, your own wave echoing hers.  You cross the empty street, a cool breeze blowing through, shuffling crunchy leaves of yellow and brown around you - you can’t help it, you crunch a few.  Once inside your shop, you close the door and lean against it, trying to collect your thoughts.

Thor just gives you an understanding smile.

 

*****************

 

“So you and Jane, huh?” you ask Thor at dinner.  Tonight you were able to do something special and ordered Chinese take out.  Thor digs around in his orange chicken, not quite meeting your eyes.

“Yeah, we just...we get along really well, and she started taking her lunches at the same time as me, and then we swapped numbers...and we talk a lot...”

You laugh, amused at how awkward this man who is usually so full of vibrato is.  Thor has always been confident with women and life in general and to see him trip over his own tongue while talking with you, it’s just something else.

“So...are you dating…?” you prod, a small grin on your face; this feels like high school crushes all over again.  “As in officially? Or are you in the flirty friends zone?”

Thor strokes his beard.  He’d been trying to grow the damn thing since freshman year and had no success until one day as a senior, it suddenly became a thick bushy mess.  Since then, he’s kept it trimmed and neat; he always touches it when he’s nervous and you’ve put him on the spot. Thor looks at you sheepishly.

“I haven’t asked her yet, per say, but I want to.  I just need to do it right….she’s something else, Y/N,” he tells you, still stroking his beard.  “I was thinking flowers?”

“I bet she would like that,” you tell him, thinking.  “What’s her favorite candy, do you know? Cause you know those arrangements we do with the flowers and candy bars...maybe we could make a special one for her.  Do it in her favorite colors, her favorite candy and flowers.”

Thor nods. 

“I like this idea,” he says.  “How do we go about this without being obvious though?”

“You could just ask her about it,” you suggest.

Thor’s eyes light up and he suddenly looks at you with eyes wild with excitement.  He smiles slyly at you.

“You could find out,” he says slowly.  “Through Loki. Ask him.”

“Oh fuck you,” you mumble.  “The guy just barely started talking to me.  I am not going to do it.”

“Please??”  Thor plays the puppy eyes and you felt yourself giving in.

“Alright, fine.”  You throw your hands up.  “Just don’t expect any quick results.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh goodness, now what's Reader going to do? Stay tuned to find out!  
> See you at the next chapter!  
> ~Birdie


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh guys, I am so sorry this took so long! My life has been nuts recently, and I don't think it's going to slow down any now. I may not update as soon as I would like, but I promise, I will not forget this fic.  
> That being said, enjoy!!!
> 
> ~Birdie

It’s a week before Halloween.  You move around the store restlessly.  It’s raining softly, fat drops dripping from the awnings and down the windows.  Thor has the day off, so it’s just you here. Business is slow, thanks to the weather, and you’re not sure what else needs to be done.  As a kid, your parents would have you sweep and mop during slow times, but you’ve already done that. Twice. You sigh. Maybe it’s time to rearrange the pumpkins in the windows.

You stand behind the window display and shift the cornstalks and pumpkins around.  You can’t help a glance at the tattoo parlor across the street. You’re supposed to go over and talk to Loki to get all of Jane’s preferences for Thor because heaven forbid you actually just talk to her or have him talk to her about her favorite flowers.  And you know exactly why he’s basically put you up to this; he wants you to spend time with Loki. Loki with his devastatingly good looks and that grin that makes your stomach flip.

Get real.  You look down at the hay on the bottom of the display case.  Thinking about him makes you feel...funny. Warm. 

_ He called me Petals. _

A small smile forms on your face.  Maybe...maybe there is a possibility.  A small part of you begins to hope. The hope is only fueled on when you look up and see the blinds of the window across the street completely open and pulled up, with a figure standing there.  It’s Loki and he catches your eye, then grins. He turns around for a moment then turns back; he’s holding a whiteboard up. In his elegant script (it must be the years of tattooing that made it so perfect) you can read it pretty clear despite the rain.

_ Hi beautiful _

You shyly wave and give a smile, a blush forming on your face.  Loki pulls the whiteboard down and wipes it. You watch as he writes something else down, then holds it up again.

_ Busy today? _

You shake your head “no”.  Loki’s grin grows. Once more, he pulls the board down.  After a moment, he once more holds it up, this time the words making your heart thud in your throat.  This wasn’t happening. Except...it is.

_ Wanna get lunch? _

You swallow hard.  He seriously just invited you to lunch.  You nod “yes” and watch as Loki beams at you.  It’s breathtaking and his whole face lights up, his green eyes sparkling as you grin back shyly at him.  He puts the whiteboard down and closes the blinds. You stare across the street for a moment longer, then check the clock.  11am. What happens now, you wonder. With a sigh, heart calming down, you head back to the back room. Doing inventory again will focus you.

Thirty minutes later, the door chimes; in walks Loki, all grace and limbs, holding a green umbrella.  The guy must really have a thing for green. Not that you’re complaining by any means. As you meet his eyes, you’re pretty sure green is becoming one of your favorite colors too.  He holds you captivated; you think you’re drowning in those emerald pools. You realize you’re staring and quickly look away, a rose flush on your cheeks. Loki gives a small chuckle.

“You’re beautiful when you blush, Petals,” Loki tells you as you look back at him.  “Anyone ever tell you that before?”

“Which part?  The beautiful part or the blush part?,” you question, something flitting in your stomach.  “Because the answer is no on both accounts.”

Loki looks thoughtful.

“That’s a shame,” he tells you in his velvety voice.  “You truly are. The rest are fools.” Before you can reply, your face still flushed and your heart racing, he continues, linking your arm in his and guiding you to the door.  “I was thinking we could go to the small cafe down the street. They always smell amazing.”

Outside, the rain is barely a drizzle, but Loki keeps the umbrella over both of you.  You smile to yourself at his gentlemanly behavior. You look up at him and catch him watching you, his eyes dancing.  This is not entirely what you imagined; you thought he would turn out to be a complete asshole, based on the smugness radiating off him the few times you’ve run into him.  You repeat to yourself the adage your mother taught you -  _ if you assume, you only make an ass out of me and you _ .  Point taken.

But, you never know, it could change.  You’ve only been with him for ten minutes.

Loki opens the door for you at the cafe and you’re instantly greeted by the tantalizing aromas of soup and fresh bread.  You can’t help a smile to yourself. You’ve been coming here for years and it never gets old. You walk to the counter, Loki behind you.

“What’s good, do you know?” Loki bends down to whisper in your ear, causing you to jump.

“Um, the tomato soup and grilled cheese are really good, especially in this weather,” you whisper back, aware that his head is still near yours.  He stands up.

“That sounds like an excellent choice.”

Before you know it, the two of you are seated by a window, food in front of you.  You take a sip of your iced coffee. It only takes a moment for the silence to be broken into comfortable conversation, which surprises you.  Once again, it’s different than you thought it would be, but in the best way possible. 

Loki tells you about how he learned to tattoo right after highschool after always having a thing for art, how he met Jane and they decided to open a business together.  The two of them are close and he considers her his found family, as his father has basically disowned him; he loves his mother though, and when he talks of her, his eyes grow soft, even though there’s a small sadness in them.  

“I was adopted, you see,” Loki tells you, a small smile on his face.  “While my father may have disowned me for doing what I do, my mother...my mother has always been supportive of everything.  She...she means a lot to me.”

“She sounds amazing,” you say with a smile.  “My mother and I were never close. You’re very lucky.”

He grows quiet and the conversation switches to you.  You tell him about the shop, how you aren’t sure how you feel about owning it now with your parents retiring.  The pressure sometimes gets to you and you’re so worried about losing or messing up the store that’s been in the family for generations.

“My great grandmother opened it,” you explain, waving your hands as you talk, soup getting cold; your voice grows wistful.  “And now it’s up to me to keep it there. But I don’t even know if this is what I want to do with my life. It was just put upon me, a huge expectation, and no one even asked what I wanted.”

“What do you want?” Loki asks, his full attention on you, his eyes holding yours.  He’s genuinely curious and wants to get to know you, you realize. It makes your heart grow.  No one outside of Thor really has ever taken much of an interest to you. Though you can see yourself becoming friends with Jane eventually - it’s nearly impossible to not.

“I want to write,” you say with a sigh.  “I write in my free time and sometimes at the store.  But I’ve never tried to sell or publish anything. No one has ever read my stuff.”

“I would love to sometime,” Loki says with a genuine smile.  “If you would let me.”

“Maybe one day,” you tell him quietly.

There’s a moment of silence.

“Tell me this: when was the last time someone took you to lunch?”

The question catches you off guard.  You frown a little.

“Um, well, Thor and I went out yester-”

“No, no, you misunderstand,” Loki says, shaking his head, giving you a crooked smile.  “Outside of Thor or friends.”

“Oh,” you say, slightly embarrassed.  You think for a moment, racking your brains.  “Once in high school, I think. What is this, a date?”

Loki smiles at you, eyes twinkling with mischief.  He reaches across the table and twirls a piece of your long hair between his fingers for a moment then lets it go, ghosting your cheek with his fingertips in the process.  Goosebumps tickle your flesh.

“It’s whatever you want it to be.”

A shiver runs down your spine.  The words come out of your mouth before you can stop them.

“I want this to be a date,” you tell him with a small smile.  “But not like a pity date. Do that to me and you’re a dead man walking.”

Loki throws his neck back and laughs, a true laugh and it vibrates through your body.

“Darling, I would never pity you.  I was hoping for this to be a date.”

You’re giddy and let out a giggle.  Before you know it, you both are laughing.  After a while, the giggles settle.

“I’m so happy right now,” you tell the man across from you.  “You have no idea.”

“I think I do,” comes his reply.

You sigh.  Time to help Thor out, you suppose.  It’s as good of time as any.

“Hey, so, Thor was trying to figure out how to ask Jane out and I was wondering if you knew any of her favorite foods or-”

“Hold on,” Loki says, cutting you off.  “They’ve been dating for over a week now.”

You swallow hard.

“That son of a bitch.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, Readers!  
> I'll see you at the next chapter!  
> ~Birdie


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m alive, I swear! I hope everyone had a great holiday and I apologize for this chapter being a little shorter than usual.  
> Thanks for sticking with me, lovely readers!  
> ~Birdie

The rest of the meal goes by quickly. You’re able to compartmentalize your frustration with Thor so that it doesn’t interfer with your date - how is this even happening? - but boy is he going to get an earful when you get home tonight. Loki opens the door for you when you leave, his umbrella on his arm with your hand resting on the other. The sun tries to peek through the clouds.

  
How do you want this to end? You think of the possibilities. A kiss maybe? You’ve only had maybe one of those, maybe two. Oh no, what if he kisses you and you’re a bad kisser and he decides he doesn’t want to see you again? In your slight panic, you don’t realize you’re at the shop again until Loki clears his throat and stops you. You pull yourself out of your head, heart racing as you look up at him. His eyes are soft and a small smile plays at his lips. He reaches a hand up and tucks your hair behind your ear, causing you to shiver.

  
“I had a wonderful time,” Loki says, that accent running over you like a hot shower. His fingers are still in your hair. “I want us to do this again sometime. Dinner next week?”

  
“I would love that,” you tell him, your eyes never leaving his green ones. On an impulse you reach into your purse and pull out a pen. Hasitly you grab his free hand and jolt your number across his palm, holding it just a little bit longer than necessary. “Call or text me, okay?”

  
Loki hums in agreement, glancing at your number on his hand then back to your face. You both stand there, in silence for a moment, and you are so scared to breathe, to break the moment where you can feel the tingling of possibilities for the two of you. At last, Loki sighs and glances across the road to his shop.

  
“As much as I would like to spend the rest of the day with you, I unfortunately have some clients coming in soon,” he says wistfully, turning his attention back to you. “I’ll see you around though, and I’ll make sure to get a hold of you.” He smiles at you.

  
“That sounds great,” you tell him. “I look forward to it.”

  
Loki looks like he’s debating something, and after a brief moment he leans down and places a kiss on your forehead, his lips soft against your skin. Then, before you can say anything, he’s already walking across the street.

  
“Well,” you say aloud to yourself. “This is going to be interesting.”

*****************************

“So Thor,” you say casually over bowls of take out orange chicken. “I had an interesting day.”

  
“Oh really?” Thor asks, his eyes lighting up in curiosity. “Do tell.”

  
“Well for one, Loki took me to lunch.”

  
Thor beams at you, a smile that could possibly break his face, all teeth and glittering eyes. He leans towards you on his chair. You can see the questions about to fall from his lips and you quickly cut him off.

  
“It was nice, we had a good time. He’s supposed to get a call or text me; we’re doing dinner next week,” you tell him, your own smile on your face. Thor is practically vibrating in his seat with anticipation, waiting for more details. You smile at him, about to hit him with some facts you learned today. “And he also told me something very interesting.”

  
“Oh? What did he say?”

  
“He told me that you and Jane have been dating for a week,” you say casually, taking a bite of orange chicken. It’s silent as you chew and swallow before continuing. “Which means you were trying to hook me up with him after all, weren’t you, Thor.”

  
Thor has the decency to look sheepishly at you. You raise an eyebrow, waiting on the confession that inevitably will follow. Thor gathers his words.

  
“I thought he would be good for you. No, I know he will be good for you,” Thor explains, his face falling. “I hate seeing you so lonely, Y/N. It breaks my heart. You’re like my sister, and I want you to be happy.”

  
You start to protest that you are happy, but deep down you know that’s not true. You aren’t happy with running the business and you always feel sad when you look at happy couples. Not that having a boyfriend will fix all of that, you remind yourself. If anything, it could possibly add complications. Maybe it’s time to start doing something to change that though.

  
“You never give up, do you?” you say to Thor with a quiet smile. You stand up to take the dishes and pat him lovingly on the arm. He stands and wraps you in a bear hug. You sigh.

  
“Thank you.”

  
It comes out as a whisper but he hears it none the less.

  
“Anything for you sister.”

  
You sniff once, eyes misty, then step back.

  
“So tell me about Jane. I already like her, but I want details.”

  
Thor laughs.

  
“Well…”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers!  
> I know I'm kind of dragging out the Halloween and autumn setting here, and that it is currently closer to Valentine's day in real life, but I have so much fluff I want to write for the holidays! I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do. (:  
> The inspiration for this chapter (and the next, which will be soon) came from when I caught a sinus infection and cold last week.   
> Enjoy!  
> ~Birdie

“Hey Y/n!”

Jane’s never ending enthusiasm makes you smile as you walk in the tattoo shop’s door, passing a client on her way out, her leg wrapped in clear wrappings.  The buzz of a tattoo gun can be heard through the shop as you stop at the counter, brown bag in hand. You set the bag down and lean on the counter a bit where Jane's standing, peeling off purple gloves and tossing them into the trash.  Jane pops a piece of bright pink gum in her mouth (she recently quit smoking, you found out, which is why she always has a pack of Bazooka bubble gum in her pockets) and grins at you. 

“Hey yourself!” you greet back before starting to open the bag and lay out various containers.

“What’d ya bring over?” she asks as she picks up a container and opens it, revealing steaming tomato soup.

“Well, I talked with Loki and he said you guys were really busy today, and I was worried you wouldn’t have time to eat, so Thor and I kind of decided that bringing you food was a good idea,” you tell her with as shy smile.  “So I went to that cafe down the way and picked up some stuff. I hope that’s okay.”

Jane beams at you at you.

“More than okay,” she says and before you know it, you’re tightly wrapped in the small woman’s embrace.  After a moment, Jane pulls back. “Hey Lokes, look what your girlfriend brought us!”

You blush a little at being called his girlfriend (are you?  You’ve only been on one date so far) and watch as he peaks his head around the wall of his stall.  As soon as those green eyes land on yours, he gives you a grin and you wave your fingers at him.

“I was wondering when you were going to pop into the shop again, Petals,” he says, voice running through you, humor in it.  “What did you bring? It smells good.”

“Lunch!” Jane answers for you before you can open your mouth.  Loki’s grin turns into a huge smile and he glances back in his stall for a quick second.

“If you give me 20 more minutes, I’ll be out,” he says, whether for you or Jane you aren’t sure.  Then he looks directly at you again, eyes drifting your face to your lips before locking on your eyes again.  “That is, if you can wait.”

That part was definitely for you and you nod.  He gives you a satisfied look and then returns to his work, the gun humming again.  You take a seat on the spare chair in the front waiting area, Jane sitting down next to you.

“You know,” she says with a mysterious grin on her face.  “I think you’re going to be really good for Loki. After your lunch the other day, he’s like a whole new person.  He keeps going on and on about you.”

You laugh a little, not quite believing her.

“No, I’m serious,” Jane says, her face becoming a little more serious.  “I’ve not seen him like this in a while, not since…”

You’re about to ask her what, not since what, but Loki’s customer (the same guy he was working on when you first came over - has it really only been a few days?) comes out and Jane launches up to ring him out.  Loki walks over to you, pushing his dark hair off his forehead. He sits next to you, crosses one leg over the other, and places his hand on your knee before moving to catch your hand. As his long fingers wrap through yours, you can feel those damned butterflies acting up again.  The customer leaves and Jane walks to the door, locking it and switching the ‘OPEN’ light off.

“Now we can actually take a few and eat,” she says, self satisfied and picking up a sandwich.  Loki laughs a little, a low chuckle, then leans over and kisses your cheek before getting up and grabbing a sandwich himself, and handing one to you.  You smile at him. The three of you fall into easy conversation.

“You know guys, Thor and I are going to see that new horror film that just came out, the one with the zombies, for Halloween tomorrow.  You should come with us,” Jane offers after a bite of sandwich.

“Um,” you say a little nervously, already feeling your palms sweat.  “I don’t know, horror and I aren’t usually a good combo.”

Loki leans in close and whispers, his lips gracing your ear, “But think of me holding you through it.  I’ll keep you safe.”

It’s the way he says it, sending shivers down your spine, that makes you agree.

“Alright,” you say as Loki plays with your hair.  “We can go.”

  
  


**************************************

When you wake up Halloween morning, something doesn’t feel right.  A lot of things don’t feel right, as a matter of fact. It hurts to swallow, you can’t breathe out your nose, and your head hurts.  With a groan, you sit up, which only makes the room spin. After a moment, it evens out and you’re able to make it to the bathroom to try to clean up.  As you step into the shower, hoping the hot water will help with the chills and aches you feel, you sneeze.

Suddenly you can see the writing on the wall.

No.

You finish in the shower and stick a thermometer under your tongue.  

100.1.

You’ve caught the flu.  One of the things about this time of year and people coming into your shop is that someone, somehow, will get you sick.  It happens every year. Between now and March, illnesses are unavoidable. You’re lucky, you have a pretty good immune system.  But when illnesses hit, boy do they hit. You get dressed in your pajamas again then stumble out the bathroom door.

“Thor?” you manage as you walk into the living room.  “Thor?”

“Y/N?  Is everything alright?” Thor asks as he enters from the kitchen.  He takes one look at you and frowns. He steps closer to you and touches your forehead.  “Are you sick?”

You just nod and lean into him, letting out a small whimper.  He takes your shoulders and turns you around, before marching you back to your room.

“I will cover for you today,” he tells you kindly.  “Will you be okay with Jane and I out tonight? I can stay home-”

“Go, go, I don’t want you to miss it,” you tell him in a rasp as you crawl back under your covers.  “Have fun.”

Thor still looks worried.  He leaves the room for a moment and when he returns, he has a glass of water in his hands which he sets on your nightstand.

“If you need anything, call me.  Or text me. I’ll come right back home.”

You nod, your eyes already starting to close.  As you hear the front door close, you force your eyes to open.  You have to let Loki know. It would be rude to stand him up, and equally awful for him to see you like this.  You get out a quick text.

_ Sick, caught the flu.  I’m so sorry but I can’t go tonight.  Can you and I reschedule something for us after I’m better? _

You set the phone on the nightstand and within moments, you’re back asleep.  When you wake up again it’s because you really have to pee. You check the time - you’ve been out for four hours.  You decide to look at your phone. In great disappointment, there are no messages from Loki. Your heart sinks. He always answers his phone pretty quickly, even at work.  Is he mad at you? Does he think you’re backing out because you’re scared and that you’re just making this up? He doesn’t come across as the kind of guy who makes assumptions.

Whatever it is, you can’t worry about it now.  You put the phone down again and force yourself back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey again Readers!  
> I hope you enjoyed this installment of the fic. As always, feedback and comments are welcome, they help keep me motivated.   
> Have a lovely day and I'll see you at the next chapter!  
> ~Birdie


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Readers!  
> Thank you for all the sweet comments. I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to reply to them all, things are busy as usual and I haven't had a chance, but know they are appreciated very very much. (:  
> This is just continuing the snap shot of life from the last chapter. It is, in fact, pure fluff. Just fluff.  
> Enjoy!  
> ~Birdie

You’re dreaming of a hall of doors.  You’re looking for something, someone maybe, and as you go through each door, you leave disappointed.  There is a loud knocking on one of them, and you can’t figure out which one…

You wake up groggily to the sound of the knocking continuing.  It takes you a moment to realize it’s someone knocking on your front door.  You check your phone - it’s 5:30 in the evening, and you have a text from Loki.  It reads a variation of the basic ‘sorry you’re sick, maybe next time’ text and you sigh deeply.  This day has not gone how you wanted it to at all. The knocking continues. It must be Thor you figure, but doesn’t he have a key?  With a groan and your mind still foggy, you make your way to the door and pull it open.

“What did you forget, Thor?” you ask, annoyed, before even bothering to look at who is on the other side of the door.  “Don’t you have a key-”

“Hello, Petal.”

You blink your eyes quickly and focus.  Loki stands in front of you, tall and lean, wearing a leather coat, a look of concern across the regal features of his face.  He’s holding a grocery bag in one hand, the other moving to rest on your shoulder.

“Loki?  What are you doing here?” you manage, painfully aware now that you’re not only running a fever and sweaty, but you’re also still in your pajamas, fluffy purple pants and a black long sleeved shirt.

“Isn’t it obvious?  I came to check on you,” he says as he starts to steer you back inside.  “Thor was not exaggerating when he said you were ill.”

You let him guide you into the living room and onto the couch.  He tucks a blanket around you before finding his way to the kitchen.  You can’t help it, you get up and follow him, the blanket around your shoulders like a cloak.  Loki has set the bag on the counter and is sorting out various items - you catch a glimpse of what looks like carrots possibly, and maybe celery.  He turns to you while sliding his jacket off his shoulders. As he drapes it across a kitchen chair, he manages to brush your arm. 

“You should be lying down,” he tells you in that velvety voice of his, grabbing you gently and helping you into a chair, arranging the blanket around you so you’re warm.  “Not sitting up and watching me.”

“Can’t help it,” you mumble, a yawn coming out.  “I’m not convinced this isn’t a fever dream.”

Loki sighs and rolls his eyes, a small fond smile on his lips.

“Not a fever dream,” he tells you before moving your hair off your damp forehead and kissing it.  “You’re hot. When was the last time you took something for your fever?”

You realize how cold you are as he says that, the aches in your body reminding you that you are, in fact, still feverish.  You think hard.

“Um, maybe five hours ago?  I’ve been sleeping.”

Loki nods, then looks around.

“Bathroom?” Loki asks.  “Is that where you keep your painkillers?”

You nod and before you can register it, he’s out and back with a bottle of pills in his hand.  He pulls out a glass and fills it with water, pouring out the right amount of pills into his hand.  He brings both over and hands them to you, watching as you take the painkillers. The water feels cool and sweet against your dry lips and down your throat, and you find yourself finishing the whole glass.  Satisfied, Loki takes the empty glass from you and puts it in the sink, turning his attention back to the groceries on the counter. Soon the sound of chopping vegetables fills the air.

“So what made you come over?” you ask, just loud enough to be heard over the knife against the cutting board.

“You told me you were sick, and I asked Thor if you were okay,” Loki says without turning around, piling chopped onions and garlic into the soup pot you and Thor bought on a whim from Bed, Bath, and Beyond last year.  It’s never been used before. “He told me you were really sick, and I got concerned. So here I am.”

He pauses stirring and turns to look at you.

“Darling, you should really go lay down.”

You open your mouth to protest, but he gives you a stern glare.  With a sigh, you pick yourself up and make your way back to the couch and lay down.  If he wants to take care of you, you’re not going to complain. It is single handedly the nicest, sweetest gesture anyone (outside of Thor, that is) has ever done for you.  Are you even dating? The question never got answered. Maybe you’ll ask, blame it on the fever if it’s a negative answer. You must have fallen asleep, because the next thing you know, Loki is gently waking you up.

“Here,” he says, helping you into a sitting position and then handing you a bowl of something warm.  “Eat this.”

He settles into the couch next to you, his own bowl in his hands, allowing you to rest your head on his shoulder.  You look down and take a deep whiff. The rich scent of beef and vegetables fills your senses, and you realize it’s some sort of stew or soup.  Vegetables and pieces of meat in a clearish broth float in your spoon as you take a bite. It’s absolutely delicious.

“Thank you,” you tell him gently, taking another bite.  “Where did you learn how to cook?”

Loki smiles at you.

“My mother.  She used to make this for me when I was sick growing up.”

“Your mother sounds like a wonderful person,” you say, working your way through the soup.  “My mother couldn’t ever be bothered to make me anything when I was sick.”

Loki frowns for a second.

“Never?” he asked.  “Not even when you were little?”

“She used to heat up canned soup when I really needed it, but that was about it,” you reply with a shrug.  Your relationship with your parents is stressed most of the time, your mom caring too much about the shop to be bothered focusing on family outside of it most of the time, your dad just doing...whatever.

“Well, now you have me to cook for you,” Loki tells you, taking your now empty bowl and leaving for a kitchen.

“Is that a threat?”

“Consider it a promise,” he says with a wink, making your stomach erupt in butterflies.

When Loki comes back from the kitchen, he settles on the couch and pulls your head into his lap.  His fingers gentle comb through your hair, and he hums under his breath a very soft lullaby. You’re falling asleep, but you desperately need to know.

“What are we?” you mumble and the fingers in your hair pause, a small chuckle surrounding you, low and deep.

“What do you want us to be?”

You look up at him, his green eyes meeting yours with a look that melts you.

“I think I want you to be my boyfriend,” you say with a sigh, your eyes sliding shut again.  The fingers in your hair start to move again. “Please stay.”

As you fall asleep, you hear the faintly whispered word, spoken like a sacred oath with reverence and care.

“Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey again Readers!  
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. As always, comments are appreciated! (:  
> See you at the next chapter!  
> ~Birdie


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